Monday, September 30, 2013

9.30.13

Hola!

Bummer that Gin didn't have her baby but I´m sure she will come this week! And that means she will be just a little bit younger when I get back.. even if it is only a week. This week was a TON better!!!! Seriously I am so grateful.

So in our zone meeting we found out that this next transfer ALL the Hermanas are training. Yeah, seriously it´s crazy. There are 30 hermanas coming and only 7 Elders in this next transfer. I´m going to be a Mom!! It´s slang here in the mission, when you train they are your daughter and you are the Mom. Hna Quispe is going to be a grandma. haha but it isn´t her first, she has trained 2 hermanas before me. So I am a bit nervous but actually not too bad. I will most likely stay here in Tarija. I have faith that God is going to help me a ton and it´s good cause I will get even better with my Spanish and teaching because I won´t have my Latina with me. I will miss HQ though, sometimes she really bugs me but for the most part I really do love her and we have fun together. The other day I was writing in my journal how having a companion is like having a boyfriend, some moments you totally love them and other moments you are just really bugged with them. haha But in the end you love them.

We had intercambios again this week. I stayed in our area with Hna Eden. She is new and doesn't know much Spanish. But it was good. We were able to teach a good amount of lessons and every time we have intercambios I gain more confidence in myself cause I realize that I can actually do this all on my own without HQ.

Clases de Ingles are good. About 12 people came, we are hoping for more in the future though. We taught them how to pray in English. It was hard cause the students didn't talk very much so me and Elder Avila were doing most of the talking. In the end I said I love you, to end the prayer but everyone thought I was saying it to Elder Avila, so that was pretty awkward and I felt really bad after. They were laughing but still. But I assume that they know I am still learning Spanish. haha I am just here in Bolivia making a fool out of myself. I won´t be in the class tomorrow cause we are going to Santa Cruz for a training, all the trainers for the next transfer. HQ leaves today and I leave tomorrow so I think I am going to be in my area again with Hna Blanco like the last time HQ left.

Can you send me the recipe for oatmeal cookies please? We are going to make them with an investigator.

So we had 3 investigators come to church yesterday!!!! Seriously I was so happy. And I´m pretty sure they all liked it. Goldy and her Son, and Demetria. They are great. So I really hope that they can progress and gain the desire to be baptized. It was cool cause in the 3rd hour it was combined with everyone and the Bishop talked about the For Strength of Youth (and dating when you are 16. that seems like forever ago. haha) and after they both asked for a copy of the For Strength of Youth. Yeah!

We were able to have a lot more lessons this week and actually find people that might actually progress. The past weeks have been frustrating because we have been teaching people that will listen but don´t really have a desire to change or progress. We have been praying to find people that are prepared and ready to receive this Gospel. We taught a family this week who are adventistas del septimo dia (sorry I can´t think of the words in English). They believe that the Sabbath day is on Saturdays. Anyways we taught them a TON about the Sabbath day and how it is Sunday , but they didn't change their mind, and I don´t think that they want to change their mind. But it was actually a cool experience cause they were super respectful and we just talked about our beliefs and what not. We testified a TON, because with some people no matter what scriptures you show them they aren't going to change their minds, but testimonies are really powerful. In the end I testified strongly of the Book of Mormon and how it is evidence of all the things that we teach. Cause seriously it is. Because if the Book of Mormon is true, Jose Smith was a true profeta and restored this Gospel and everything else that goes along with it is true too. So, I really hope they read it but who knows.

We were able to watch the Relief Society Broadcast. I wasn't able to totally understand EVERYTHING that was said but I really learn a lot. I liked, also, how Sister Reeves or Pres. Monson said that when we feel bad about ourselves it is Satan, cause God would never want us to feel like we can´t do anything, that we can´t repent or overcome our trials and weaknesses. I loved how Pres. Monson talked so much about prayer. Prayer is probably the thing that we teach the most in the mission because it is SO IMPORTANT!!! and it´s so easy to do! I don´t understand how people say they don´t have time to pray. It´s seriously the best. I can honestly say that prayer has helped me a TON in the mission. We are literally talking with our Heavenly Father, who cares about everything going on in our lives and is always listening.

Anyways yeah, that is my week! I am excited for this week with Conference and the training we have tomorrow. I always love hearing from Pres. and Hna Willard. Please pray for me and all the people that we teach that they can feel the truthfulness of the things that we teach and obtain a desire to live this Gospel and feel the Happiness of it. Thanks for everything! I love you so so so much! Hasta Lunes!

Hermana Wursten

We ate burritos one week... they were pretty weak in compared to the burritos in the US. I miss burritos.

In front of a pretty building. My pockets were full in my jacket, that is why it´s all puffed up.

Un perro with a Lion King shirt. HQ and I thought it was pretty funny.